^G The Kitchen Garden. [Feb. 



But obferve, that to be well fiipplied with either cucum- 

 ber or melon plants, either to plant in new beds;, or to have 

 a refervein cafe of accidents to any already planted out, it 

 will be very proper to low fome feed at three different 

 times this month. 



Or thefe may be Town each time, in fach hot-beds or ridges 

 as are already made ; and, when fit to prick out, let it be 

 in fmall pots, as direded in raifing the plants laft month, 

 and plunged in the back part of the fame bed. 



They may be kept there till wanted, either for new, or 

 fo fupply aoy deficiency in the prefent beds. 



Forcing j^fparagus. 



Hot-beds for obtaining early aiparagus may be made any 

 time in this month. 



For the purpofe of forcing afparagus, we muft be pro- 

 vided with proper plants ; thefe are previoufly raifed in the 

 natural ground from feed, as hereafter direded, which be- 

 ing tranfplanted from the feed-bed into other beds in the 

 common ground, and having two or three years growth 

 there, they are then in a proper flate for forcing : obferv- 

 ing, that the necefiary quantity is from about five to fix or 

 feven hundred for a bed for a three-light frame, and fo in 

 proportion, for the plants are crowded very clofe, in order 

 that by having as many plants as pofiibie in each frame, 

 they may produce a proportionable fupply of afparagus, 

 to recompenfe fufiiciently for the great trouble and expence 

 requifite in forcing. 



The' hot-beds, for this purpofe of forcing afparagus, are 

 made of frefh horfe-dung, full of heat, and muft be made 

 very fubftantial ; provide, therefore, a proper quantity of 

 the above fort of dung, and ihake it up in a heap as di- 

 rected for cucumber hot-beds ; and in a week or fortnight, 

 according to the quality and quantity of the dung, it will 

 be of a proper temperature for making the hot-bed. 



The dung being thus in order, then prepare to make the 

 liot-bed, either upon level ground if the fituation is wet, 

 or for the convenience of having plenty of good earth at 

 hand for earthing the bed, it may be made in a conve- 

 nient quarter of tKe kitchen garden, where may be digged 

 a trench the width of the intended bed, and about a foot 

 deep, laying the earth ready for ufe : then let the hot- bed 

 be made for one or more three-light frames in a range, 



allowing 



